Lesson on Salvation

Preparation:

What happened to Adam and Eve in this chapter? Genesis 3

This first bible story is one of the popular ones, featuring the creation of the first man and woman of the earth until the downfall of mankind resulting from the disobedience of both Adam and Eve. We are all aware of the consequences of events. God’s specific instruction to Adam and Eve was not to eat the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, neither should they touch it or they will die. But Adam and Eve didn’t heed to this one and only instruction. With the crafty serpent’s temptation, Eve was convinced and ate the fruit. The serpent lied to Eve, saying that she will not die and that her eyes will be opened knowing good and evil. That same lie was relayed to Adam, who also disobeyed God and ate the fruit. With that, their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked.

The serpent with its lies deceived them. Adam and Eve committed the first sin of mankind and God drove them out of the garden of Eden.

This is how the evil has been working ever since the world began. In John 8:44….”He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies”

What is sin and what are its consequences?

Because of their sin, God punished Adam and Eve and the succeeding generations. Here are the consequences:

Genesis 3:19 By the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Genesis 3:16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”

As per Romans 6:23… For the wages of sin is death. Here, death not only pertains to physical but more importantly, spiritual death. Sin resulted to separation from God as per Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

Man has to till the ground to have food and woman will suffer pain in child bearing and giving birth. We will all return to dust as we are created out of it.

Because of sin, God sent both Adam and Eve out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which they were taken.

Topic on Salvation:

Prior to me becoming a Christian, there were several questions that boggled my mind.

Coming from a Catholic background, I was also one of those people who got offended and suddenly transformed to a defensive mode when discussion involved altars dedicated for the famous saints, praying the rosary, images, sculptures, and other traditional practices and celebrations, etc.

Who is our direct link to God? Can I simply pray to an angel or a saint and ask him to pray for me?

Why am I a sinner? I haven’t done anything wrong. Sinner is such a ‘strong’ word to accuse someone of a wrongdoing!

How can someone easily forgive and forget a wrongdoing by a neighbor?

These are just few of the many questions that are normally asked and unless we are willing to hear and learn, the questions and answers will simply go back and forth. We will remain discontented with any response.

And also, we have to bear in mind that we should learn not with our own mere efforts but we should seek wisdom from the Holy Spirit.

We are all sinners

Right from the time when we are born, the sin has been part of us. Even before we learn to talk, right before we were actually conceived, we were all born a “sinner”. And we all know that the reason of this downfall is Adam and Eve’s sinning from the very beginning of mankind. Genesis captures the story of humanity’s tragic fall into sin and death. This death started in one man, Adam.

Romans 5:12 “ Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

In Romans 3:9-12 also emphasizes that no one is righteous. “ What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, So all of us are sinners right from the very time of Adam even if we think we are not breaking any command. As per Romans 5:14 “Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come”

But we all redeemed with a price

For us the forgiveness of our sins seems so easy. Thanks to God and to Jesus! We are redeemed with a price and that is the life of Jesus, one who is without blemish, who is righteous, who is without sin. He died in the cross to redeem mankind of the spiritual death.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

I remember a father and son story illustrating this God’s amazing love to us:

Once there was a man who had a son that he loved very much. The man worked as a bridgemaster to the railroad. His son loved to watch the trains and the people who travelled on them…people who were lonely, angry, selfish, hurting and addicted. One day, his son spent the day with him in his work and a horrible accident happens. The child is having fun around the area and then suddenly, his feet were stuck in the railway. The train was fast approaching and the man could see both situations. This led to a terrible choice whether to save his son allowing everyone else on the train to die or still pull the lever for the bridge and allow his son to be crushed by the bridge. He made the decision and pulled the lever. The saving of all required the sacrifice of his one most dear son.

How can we be redeemed?

Salvation is received by faith. Indeed, the Bible provides us straightforward answer of why’s and how’s of matters concerning redemption. Believe and repent. Receive Jesus in your heart, have faith, welcome His grace and presence and accept Him as Lord and Savior.’

Luke 13:5 “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Acts 2:38 “ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”

Why is it through Jesus?

The Bible itself provides us the answers as to why Jesus is the only way to salvation.

Philippians 2:8-12 “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”

Romans 3:23-25 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins”

Jesus is the one and only answer

Jesus Christ is our one and only link to God. God didn’t say that you will be redeemed through Christ Jesus or through this and that. He didn’t provide any other option. He is the ” One” and the only answer as He is His Son whom He appointed as the heir of all things. Jesus possesses all His attributes, as God and His Son, Jesus are one.

This supremacy of Jesus, Son of God as His representation of His Father have been emphasized in Hebrews 1:1-4 “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs..”

Conclusion

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord

This is how we are saved: Through hearing the Word, believing and receiving through faith. There is no other way as also declared in John 14:6 by Jesus Himself: “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”